Suspension, demotion recommended for tax judge

MINNEAPOLIS — A judicial standards panel is recommending a Minnesota Tax Court judge be suspended and demoted for regularly missing deadlines on cases.

The Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards says Judge George Perez should be suspended for nine months without pay because of a "persistent pattern of noncompliance" for deciding cases on time.

The Star Tribune reports the formal recommendation includes a censure, the suspension, and that Perez be prohibited from serving as chief judge for the duration of his term. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which will decide if Perez should be punished.

Perez denies the panel's claims, but says there were occasions when he missed a deadline due to illness or required an extension.